Feeding Fruit and Vegetables To Horses and Ponies

Many horse and pony owners like to addfruit and vegetables
to feed as a change to their horse's diet and encourages poor feeders
to eat their food.

The most popular additions are apples and carrots,
but there are other fruits and vegetable which are safe to feed to a horse.

Lots of different types of fruits and vegetables are fed to horses,
so you have a variety to choose from.

Apples and carrots are popular as they are easily available.

Swedes, turnips, broccoli, beetroot, celery and cabbage leaves are also
safe vegetables to feed to horses and are frequently added to feeds.

A large swede hung up in the stable can help to prevent
boredom.

Some sources give advice that pumpkins and potato peelings can be poisonous
to horses - so are probably best avoided. although pumpkin seeds can be
very nutritious.

Most fruits are safe in small quantities if the pips
or stones are removed.

In some hotter countries, horses are said to love oranges
and grapefruits.

ADVICE ABOUT FEEDING BANANAS TO HORSES

Bananas are good for horses as they contain potassium
- they can be fed with the banana peel stilll on.

Its becoming very popular with competition riders to give their horses
bananas - much like you see tennis players eating a banana between sets
at a grand slam event.

Its important to remember that your horse is likely to be quite happy
just having apples and carrots, so you shouldn’t feel that you have
to use other fruit and vegetables.

However a slice of apple or carrot is a much healthier treat than a sugary
mint!

Whichever fruit or vegetables you choose to feed a horse should be free
from mould - don't just feed mouldy leftovers from the fruit bowl - Mould
can be deadly to a horse.

HOW TO PREPARE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES FOR HORSES TO EAT

Fruit and vegetables should be cut
into strips, not chunks that can get lodged in the throat, before feeding
to a horse to avoid choking.

Ensure that all large pips or stones
are removed from fruit.

MAINTAINING A BALANCED DIET

While succulents such as fruit and vegetables
are useful for encouraging horses and ponies to eat their feed, it’s
more important to ensure that your horse is receiving a balanced diet
containing the nutrients required for good health.

So make sure that the feed ration you give is appropriate for your horse’s
dietary requirements

Advice about Feeding a Horse or pony different types of vegetables and fruit -
including carrots, apples, banana, swede, orange to add variety to diet.
How to prepare vegetables and fruit for adding to a horses feed